The Modern Period
Part VI
Between 1906 and 1914 Gandhiji had attracted the attention of Indian Political leaders by his peaceful resistance to injustice in South Africa. He was successful in getting abolished the most hated Asiatic Act and the discriminatory treatment meted out to the Indian immigrants there. His activities in Africa were heartily blessed by Gopal Krsna Gokhale. On his return to India in 1914 he was hailed as the votary of truth and Ahisma. In spite of his bitter experience of the British rule in Africa he expressed full faith in the justice of England and advised his countrymen to offer unconditional help to the proclamation during the First World War. But the hollowness of the proclamation during the War that responsible Government would be introduced in India. The disappointing Montford Reforms, the Rowlatt Bill and tlhe Jallianvala Bag Tragedy of 1919, in mounting succession convinced him that the British Government was satanic. In the Khilafat Conference of November 1919 Gandhiji expounded his policy of non-co-operation with Government as a political weapon. This was largely supported in the Congress Session that followed. However, Congress stalwarts like Tilak, C. R. Das and Moti Lal Nehru had misgivings regarding the Gandhian ways and programme. Mrs. Annie Besant was aginst his Satyagraha movement. And the jallianvala Bag Tragedy resulted in her exit from the congress and politics.
With Tilak's death on 1st August 1920, India lost a great scholar and a fearless leader of exceptional abilities. The death of the 'Father of Indian Unrest" was mourned throughout the country. Nagpur people paid their homage to Tilak in a mammoth meeting. The era of vigorous extremism in the Congress may be said to have ended with the passing away of Tilak.
The special Congress Session which met at Calcutta in September 1920 marked a turning point in Indian politics. Gandhiji's resolutions on Hindu-Muslim unity and the policy of non-violent, non-co-operation for the attainment of Svaraj were passed by the Session, though Bipin Chandra Pal and Das strongly opposed them cosidering them to be disadvantatgeous to the country. The Nagpur session of the Congress which met at lhe end of 1920 firmly established Gandhiji's leadership in India. His philosophy and method received a clear support. His progressive policy of non-co-operation and boycott actually outstripped the extremists.
On the eve of the Nagpur session, opposition members had expressed their disapproval of he policy and principle of non-co-operation. They thought the movement would do more harm than good to the country. Before the congress Session met, Dadasaheb khaparde published a memorandum pointing out how Gandhiji's resolution sought to divert the energies of the congress in attaining spiritual force and moral excellece to the neglect of immediate political objectives. He further thought that boycotting the Councils would result in the loss of contact with the de facto Government ultimately depriving the people of the practical training ground for political struggle. It would not be far from truth if one states that this opinion was largely shared by the intellectuals of Nagpur.
In addition to the non-violent non-co-operation programme for the attainment of Svaraj, the Nagpur Session passed resolutions regarding promotion of Khadi, unconditional support to the Muslims in the Khilafat movement, removal of untouchability and creation of Tilak Svaraj Fund. Svaraj was to be attained within one year.
The Nagpur Congress gave tremendous fillip to the national movement in the madhya Pradesh. As part of the peaceful programme the Non-Co-operator's Asram and the Tilak Vidyalaya were established at Nagpur. To make Prohibition effective voluteers pickedted at the liquor shops on January 1921. Police opened fire on the picketers in the city.